Pages

Monday, 29 April 2013

Chocolate Cupcakes

I'm an OK baker. I try really hard and sometimes I have had some great successes which I have been really proud of.

But, when people are kind enough to compliment me by saying I should make cakes professionally I have the same answer each time. I'm not good enough at decorating!

And so I'm always looking for ways to hide the imperfections. I was really pleased to try out these cupcake wrappers from Paper Themes. They're personalised and so are perfect for a special occasion. I've already had my wedding but with the rise in popularity of cupcake wedding cakes I think these are going to be so popular as an added special twist.

Friday, 19 April 2013

When you are expecting your first child nearly
everyone has an idea of the sort of parent they are going to be. And I think for
a lot of people the reality is quite a bit different.

I can’t remember what I thought I was going to be like as a parent but I've
become a little bit of apushover. I
pick my battles carefully and so sometimes that means that I give in to Monkey's demands.

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

I’ve mentioned before that Monkey is a clever one. He can
hold a pretty comprehensive conversation at only 2 years and two months old and we have constantly been
astounded by how quickly he picks things up.

However, that intelligence is turning around to bite us in
the bum.

Monkey has worked out that the word ‘help’ elicits a very
quick response from either parent and so he has began to use the word rather
frequently.

Sunday, 7 April 2013

I've mentioned before that I am not one of those parents who does crafts, who lets their child join in with daily chores or who comes up with endless amounts of imaginative play. In fact, if I had to categorise myself I'd probably say I'm a distracted and slightly lazy parent.

Today, though I tried something different and I said 'yes' more often.

Instead of one of us grown-ups going to Homebase during the lunchtime nap to avoid taking Monkey with us we went this morning as a three. Yes, it took an hour and a half and involved a pretend bath in one of the show bathrooms but that was quite fun.

Friday, 5 April 2013

My blog and I are going through a rough patch. And as we have only been together for a little under two months I’m a bit worried that it’s too early for problems to be creeping in.

But it’s confessional time and the problem is that the blog is always there! I liked the company at first but over the past few days it’s felt a bit like an annoying child clinging at my ankles (and I already have one of them!)

I don’t really have time to give to the blog as much as I would like but that’s just a question of dedication and if I want this relationship with my blog to work then I’ll just have to make the time.

No, the problem is that I don’t know what the blog wants from me! What does it want me to write about when my day consisted of an uneventful hour with Monkey, eight hours at work and then an equally uneventful hour before bed.

Life’s just been a little bit normal over the past few days - we’ve had easy bedtimes, the tantrums haven’t been so bad and the house move is all on course and just ticking along nicely.

I have nothing to say.

The only thing I could tell you about this week is that I have drunk a lot, eaten a lot of chocolate and researched garden gates for about four hours in total.

Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Well, that was great wasn't it? We've just had the loveliest Easter break together and for once I have returned refreshed and rejuvenated.

Living so far away from our families means that Monkey doesn't get to see his grandparents (on both sides) very often and so he more than makes it up for it when he does. From Friday to Sunday during our time at the inlaws Mummy and Daddy were invisible. Cuddles and kisses were reserved for Nanny and Grandad (mostly just Nanny) and squeals of joy let out only at the arrival of his 1 year old cousin each day.

For me, this was a massive change. It's normally all Mummy, Mummy, Mummy with me not being allowed to even go to the toilet without listening to the ongoing meltdown over my momentary departure.

I didn't feel left out though and instead I just revelled in his joy at being with his extended family and enjoyed the sit-down when I got it.

It also made a massive change on Monday when it was just me and Monkey with a whole bank holiday stretched in front of us. I didn't stress, I didn't shout, in fact I barely sat down such was the reserve of energy I had.

And today I went back to work, grateful for the break I had had. But also the return to work today marked the start of The Countdown. We're on course to move house in May and moving house means that whole life change we have all been after. New house, new job and a new and fresh perspective.